Highridge Hall Hosts Humdinger, mowing up the competition

HIGH RIDGE – The Lawnmower Racing Association lit up the arena last month with fast-paced racing.

On Aug. 24, some 25 competitors were vying for the win while spectators savoured concession food, bought 50/50 tickets and enjoyed the market.

“This is a first-time event, and we are hoping to make it an annual event,” said Louise May, one of the organizers of the Highridge festivities.

We are overwhelmed by the great attendance.”

“It (lawnmower races) turned out really good. We're really happy since at the hamlet hoedown we didn't end up having a race,” remarked Kelsey Schmidt, organizer and competitor in the Lawnmower Racing Association.

Schmidt said the Lawnmower Racing Association has been together for six years.

Her family has been involved in racing, and her dad and brother got involved first.

Schmidt wanted to “represent the ladies” and joined her family in the racing competition.

Her dad helped her swap out some pulleys in her lawnmower and she registered for the Stock Modified class.

Schmidt’s mother also races in the Stock Modified class.

“Highridge is our first event this year since the Fort Assiniboine Hoedown was rained out,” said Jamie Manz with the Lawnmower Racing Association.

The Lawnmower Association operates out of Fort Assiniboine.

Manz was competing at the Highridge lawnmower racing event and has been with the club for five years.

There are four divisions in lawnmower racing: Stock, Stock-Modified, Modified and Outlaw classes.

The third-place winner from the Modified Class, Doug Macphee, came all the way out from Hythe, Alta. just northwest of Grande Prairie, Alta., to come to check out the competition and race.

The Hythe Lawn Mower Racing Club hosted their own event on Aug. 30 and 31. 

People participating in lawnmower racing prefer a dry, compacted dirt track over a grass track.

This reduces sliding and impacts the safety and timings of the races.

Racers filled the pits when they weren’t racing with many onlookers examining all models of the lawnmower racing machines.

Inside the hall, a yard sale and vendor market were happening, with all sorts of interesting finds available for visitors.

 

The results for all of the divisions completed at the Highridge location are as follows:

Stock Class: 1st - Riley Ronaasen #18, 2nd - Cole Druar #21, 3rd - Kayla Kuelken #16

Stock-Modified Class: 1st - Mason Bentz #212 2nd - Jacob Kuelken #12 3rd - Tammy Pattyson #16

Modified Class 1st - Johnathan Pattyson #93 2nd - Titus Kile #55 3rd - Doug Macphee #40

Outlaw Class 1st - Morgan Schmidt #911 2nd - Johnathan Pattyson #666 3rd - Daniel Unger #340